Link equity refers to the value or authority passed from one webpage to another through hyperlinks. When a page links to another page, it transfers a portion of its credibility, trust, and ranking potential. This transfer helps search engines determine the relative importance and relevance of pages within and across websites.
The amount of link equity passed depends on several factors, including the authority of the linking page, relevance between the pages, link placement, and whether the link is followed. Links embedded naturally within primary content typically pass more value than those in footers or sidebars. Internal links also distribute link equity across a site, helping prioritise key pages.
Link equity is central to how search engines evaluate page strength. It influences crawl behaviour, ranking potential, and indexation priority. Managing link equity effectively ensures that authority flows to pages that support business goals and search intent rather than being wasted or diluted.
Advanced
Link equity is shaped by link attributes, site architecture, and crawl paths. Factors such as nofollow usage, redirect chains, orphaned pages, and excessive outbound links can interrupt or weaken equity flow. Internal linking strategy plays a critical role in concentrating value on priority URLs.
Search engines assess link equity contextually rather than as a fixed score. Relevance, topical alignment, and link freshness influence how much value is applied. Poor internal structure can trap equity, while clear hierarchies and intentional linking improve distribution efficiency across large sites.
Relevance
- Influences ranking potential of key pages.
- Supports crawl efficiency and indexation priority.
- Strengthens internal content hierarchy.
- Improves authority distribution across a site.
- Reduces wasted SEO value.
Applications
- Internal linking strategy design.
- Site architecture planning.
- Content hub and pillar page optimisation.
- Link cleanup and redirect management.
- SEO audits and technical reviews.
Metrics
- Internal link distribution patterns.
- Authority concentration on priority pages.
- Crawl depth and frequency.
- Ranking improvements after restructuring.
- Indexation consistency across sections.
Issues
- Poor internal linking wastes equity.
- Orphaned pages receive no value.
- Excessive outbound links dilute authority.
- Broken links interrupt equity flow.
- Misused nofollow limits distribution.
Example
An e-commerce site had strong backlinks pointing to blog posts while key category pages remained underperforming. After restructuring internal links to pass equity from informational content to commercial pages, category rankings improved and organic revenue increased.